a) a pair of tweezers or a needle nosed plier b) styptic powder c) cotton balls d) a towel (if your bird bites) The primaries (feathers) are your target. Check the under side of the wing feathers, to see if there are any blood feathers visible. (A blood feather is a type of feather that is filled with blood. It is absolutely normal for your budgie to have it.) If you see any of those, then do not trim the feathers. It is suggested 4 must-have accessories before going for that pair of scissors (just in case you snip a blood feather) Grooming Your Budgie Your budgie may not like the cold water, and could get shaken up badly Don’t force your bird into having a bath that you may trim the primaries up to the second layer of the feathers on that wing. Just in case you accidentally injure a blood feather, apply pressure directly on the bleeding area. If it does not stop, after a few minutes, put some styptic powder on a ball of cotton and use that to press against the shaft of the feather. It is suggested that if the bleeding still does not stop, you may have to pull out the whole feather (with a tweezer or a needle nose plyer). This is very painful for the bird. Put pressure directly on the follicle to stop the bleeding, and if the bleeding still continues, rush to a vet, and in the meanwhile, keep applying pressure on the bleeding area. Clipping is done, so that the bird does not fly too fast, or too far. Never ever do it, if you are doing it for the first time, or if somehow, you don't seem to get the hang of it. Also, never trim just one side and leave out the other. This causes an imbalance in the bird, and it can harm itself. Grooming Your Budgie Wet budgies Grooming Your Budgie Budgie bath Your pet needs to bathe, every couple of days. Try using a flat and wide bowl for this purpose. There are also commercial birdbaths that come attached to the cage. Budgies (some of them) also prefer to roll on wet grass. Mornings are the best time to give your bird a bath. But not all budgies will be ready to take a dip. If they do not bathe by themselves, you'll have to take care of it. Get a spray bottle and mist the bird every other day. Keep a check on this bottle, and use it only to fill fresh water. Let the others know its purpose, for you do not want to spray your bird with anything that is toxic. When you use a sprayer to give your bird a bath, just see to it that the water is neither too cold nor hot. It should be When you use a sprayer to give your bird a bath, just see to it that the water is neither too cold nor hot. warm. Your budgie may not like the cold water, and could get shaken up badly. Giving your bird a bath does not mean soaking it completely. It is sufficient if you just spray your budgie until your pet is wet. Your bird may not particularly enjoy bathing, especially if it is doing it for the first time, or if it has had a bad experience bathing. But don't give up hope; gently coax your bird and you'll see that your budgie eventually comes around, and enjoys its shower-time. |